August 29, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Poor Sleep Common in MS, Linked to Fatigue, Depression, and Anxiety, Study Reports Poor sleep quality is very common among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and is associated with a lower quality of life, and greater fatigue, depression and anxiety, according to a real-world study in patients treated with Betaferon (interferon beta-1b). The study, ā…
August 28, 2018 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Exercise Fights Fatigue and Depression in MS Patients, Study Reveals Physical exerciseĀ fights fatigue and depression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study reveals. Remarkably, these positive outcomes in psychological health can be achieved without significant alterations in the patient’s body weight or body mass index (BMI), further supporting the idea that exercise could be…
August 16, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc MS Patients With Anxiety, Depression Symptoms More Likely to Report Need for Mental Healthcare, Study Shows One-third of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in a Canadian study report a need for mental healthcare, with symptoms of anxiety and depression ā but not current diagnosed mental health disorders ā identified as predominant factors. The study, āFactors associated with perceived need for mental health care in multiple…
August 13, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Treating Patients’ Perceived Stress and Poor Sleep Important as Both Fuel Depression, Study Reports Patients’ perceptions of stress and sleep quality are both linked to their sense of cognitive difficulties and depression, and focusing on these perceptions may be a way of treating depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS),Ā a study reports. The research, āPerceived cognitive deficits and depressive symptoms in…
August 6, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson Living With MS and Remaining Positive Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) could be compared to having an annoying house guest who never leaves. You can tolerate them at first, but soon your nerves and resilience wear thin. You try to accept and adapt to the house guest, but you never give up on trying to…
August 2, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Multiple Sclerosis Patients Identify Symptoms that Worsen Quality of Life Loss of health-related quality of life is caused mostly by balance problems, muscle stiffness, and depression in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS),Ā and for those with progressive MS, the causes are muscle rigidity, paralysis, weakness, and pain, according toĀ a…
July 26, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Brain Changes in CIS Patients May Be to Blame for Depression, Reduced Quality of Life, Study Suggests Changes in the brains of patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), the first clinical presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS), may be partly responsible for depressive symptoms and reduced quality of life in these patients, a study shows. The study with that finding, āHealth-related quality of life, neuropsychiatric…
July 18, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Other Conditions’ Symptoms May Foretell Onset of MS, Canadian Data Suggest Many patients report a history of other conditions such as migraine headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and mood and anxiety disorders, before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosisĀ (MS). According to a new study, these symptoms could be warning signs of MS and help in its early detection. “Prodrome” is a…
July 13, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Inability to Express or Process Emotions Also Prevalent in MS Patients, Study Reports A significant number ofĀ multiple sclerosisĀ patients show signs not only of depression and anxiety, but also of alexithymia ā an inability to describe or process emotional responses, a research group in Brazil reported. The study, āHigh levels of alexithymia in patients with multiple sclerosis,ā published in the…
July 11, 2018 News by Vijaya Iyer, PhD Touchscreen-based Cognitive Testing is Effective in MS Care, Study Finds Cognitive impairment is common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and can be assessedĀ through touchscreen cognitive tests in clinical care, a British study reports. The study āInvestigating Domain-Specific Cognitive Impairment Among Patients With Multiple Sclerosis Using Touchscreen Cognitive Testing in Routine Clinical Careā was published in the…
June 29, 2018 Columns by John Connor ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ I started out in my professional life as a journalist. This only lasted about eight years and feels like a lifetime ago ā which it was. Though I was not a news hound, I learned to smell a story. Last week’s column,Ā “A Tale of Two Halves,”Ā juxtaposed bad MS…
June 14, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell How I Deal with the Reality of Depression With the recent suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, I feel called upon to write about something many of us are all too familiar with: depression. While these high-profile deaths made the headlines, thousands of others took their own lives during that same seven-day period. Depression is…
June 4, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Family Support and Identity Seen to Affect Depression, Mood Swings in MS Patients in UK Study A survey ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that looked at their sense of social identity based on their family relations ā meant to help explain mood disorders like depression and anxiety seen in this population ā found a clear link between the strength of family bonds and mood, a U.K. study…
May 24, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Brain Stimulation Done at Slower Rates May Be Best for MS and Other Patients as Neurons ‘Tire,’ Study Says A non-invasive procedure using magnetic pulses to stimulate the brain may be moreĀ effective in treatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and other patients if the rate of stimulation is slowed, a new study suggests, finding that neurons “tire” with overstimulation and may fail to respond. The research, āLess might be…
May 22, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson MS and Mental Illness: The World Needs You Spring has sprung! As I look around, Mother Earth is in bloom. Trees are sprouting new leaves, plants are growing, and the grass isĀ green once again. I love spring and all that it represents ā hopes for new birth and rebirth. For those who are unaware, May is Mental…
May 11, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Akili to Advance Potential Video Game-Based Therapies for MS, Other Disorders Akili InteractiveĀ announced it has received a $55 million in financing to develop a digital platform to possibly treat people with cognitive impairment associated with diseases likeĀ multiple sclerosis (MS). The company is focused on creating products with therapeutic potential based on high-quality video game experiences. The financing was led…
April 6, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Online Meditation Course Seen to Help MS Patients Manage Symptoms in Clinical Trial Online training inĀ Ā meditationĀ based on mindfulness can improve the quality of life for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients while easing depression, anxiety, and sleep problems, a study conducted in Italy reports. These findings add to the growing body of evidence that interventions able…
April 2, 2018 Columns by Debi Wilson What It’s Like Constantly Living with Primary Progressive MS My column last week was a recap of my journey to a primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) diagnosis. This week’s column continues that theme by showing a glimpse of what it is like to live with PPMS on a daily basis. To say that having a disability like…
March 26, 2018 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Canadian Study Links Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Disability in Women with MS Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders contribute to physical disability in women with multiples sclerosis, according to a Canadian study that confirmed the results of previous research. The article the team wrote, āPsychiatric comorbidity is associated with disability progression in multiple sclerosis,āĀ appeared in the journal…
March 19, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Pain Affect in MS Associated with Physical and Psychiatric Comorbidities Physical and psychiatric comorbidities in multiple sclerosisĀ (MS)Ā patientsĀ are associated with an increased risk of experiencing more pain ā namely pain intensity and pain affect. The research to support that finding, āPsychiatric and physical comorbidities and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the Journal of Pain…
February 12, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Stigma Can Be a Cause of MS Patients’ Depression, Study Shows The stigma of multiple sclerosis can increase patients’ risk of depression, but a socially supportive environment, a sense of belonging and a sense of independence can help ease the problem, a study Penn State UniversityĀ study reports. Researchers have…
January 16, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson The Stigma Surrounding Depression Lots of columns and articles look at issues surrounding the topics of depression and mental health-related disorders. I have referenced them in various columns. What saddens me is the stigma surrounding depression that prevails in our society. There are many who struggle with depression and other forms of…
December 19, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Additional Diseases Increase Risk of MS Relapses, Canadian Study Shows Multiple sclerosis patients with additional diseases, high cholesterol levels or a history of migraine headaches are more likely to experience relapses than other patients, a Canadian study shows. The report, āComorbidity increases the risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis,ā was published in the journal Neurology. Researchers…
December 11, 2017 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Diet Rich in Fruits, Veggies and Whole Grains May Slow MS Progression, Study Shows A diet rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains may decrease symptoms and lessen disease progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The report, āDiet quality is associated with disability and symptom severity in multiple sclerosis,ā appeared in the journal Neurology. āPeople with MS…
November 14, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Thanks to Caregivers Who Share Our MS Load The MS load we carry is heavy. Some of us, unfortunately, must carry it alone. But many of us are fortunate to have someone with whom we can share the weight. It’s National Family Caregivers Month and a new survey shows just how heavy that load can…
October 26, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #MSParis2017 – Study Links Depression to Increased Disability in Women with MS AĀ University of British ColumbiaĀ study found a link between depression and increased disability in women with multiple sclerosis. Dr.Ā Kyla McKay said the studyĀ of more than 1,200 patients found no link between anxiety or bipolar disorder and increased disability, however. She presented theĀ findings at the 7th Joint ECTRIMS-ACTRIMS Meeting in…
September 28, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc Active Brain Inflammation Helps Cause Anxiety, Depression in RRMS Patients, Study Finds Active brain inflammation appears to be one of the causes driving anxiety and depression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), finds an Italian study published in the journal Neurology. RRMS is the most common form of the disease when patients are initially diagnosed. Multiple sclerosis patients…
September 11, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Women vs. Men, Epstein-Barr, Mavenclad, Gilenya Older Women with MS Age Better Than Their Male Counterparts, Canadian Survey Finds I have to say that, as a 69 year old man with MS, this report is a bit depressing. In fact, one of its findings is that older men are depressed while older women…
September 6, 2017 News by Janet Stewart, MSc Older Women with MS Age Better Than Their Male Counterparts, Canadian Survey Finds Older men with multiple sclerosis (MS) have more harmful lifestyles than older women with the disease, concludesĀ theĀ Canadian Survey of Health, Lifestyle and Aging with Multiple Sclerosis. Treatment for depression could go a long way to promoting more healthy lifestyles for all older MS patients, authors suggest. The study, ā…
August 7, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye This Week: Resistance Training, Tysabri Report, Cognigram, and Depression Resistance Training Can Slow MS Patientsā Brain Shrinkage, Clinical Trial Indicates Over the years, studies have shown the benefits of various types of exercise in improving MS symptoms. But here,Ā Alice MelĆ£o reports about a small…